Surface light source

• US 20050063168A1
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Miyasaka, Yasuhiro
• Application Number:
  US10/946,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20050063168A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/26
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0086 Positioning aspects

Abstract

In a surface light source having multiple LEDS, each LED is a discrete LED in which an LED body that emits light is combined with a wire lead for electrically connecting the LED body to an electrical circuit on a circuit board. A positioning unit for positioning the LED with respect to a light guide plate includes the wire lead, an insertion hole which is provided in a mounting portion of a holder and through which the wire lead extends, and an engaging portion provided in the wire lead so as to engage with an edge of the insertion hole.

Claims

1. A surface light source comprising:

a light guide plate having a light incident surface on which light is incident and a light-emitting surface from which the light is emitted;

a support for supporting the light guide plate;

a light-emitting diode disposed near the light incident surface of the light guide plate to illuminate the light incident surface, the light-emitting diode including a diode body for emitting the light, and a wire lead provided integrally with the diode body;

a positioning unit for positioning the light-emitting diode with respect to the light guide plate; and

an electrical circuit provided in the support to light the light-emitting diode,

wherein the wire lead electrically connects the diode body to the electrical circuit, and the positioning unit includes an insertion hole which is provided in the support and through which the wire lead extends, and an engaging portion provided integrally with the wire lead so as to engage with an edge of the insertion hole.

3. The surface light source according to claim 1, wherein the support includes a circuit board on which the electrical circuit is provided, and a holder disposed on the circuit board to hold the light guide plate, and the diode body is electrically connected to the electrical circuit via the wire lead that extends through insertion holes provided in the holder and the circuit board.

2. A surface light source comprising:

a light guide plate having a light incident surface on which light is incident and a light-emitting surface from which the light is emitted;

a support for supporting the light guide plate;

a discrete light-emitting diode disposed near the light incident surface of the light guide plate to illuminate the light incident surface, the light-emitting diode including a diode body for emitting the light, and a wire lead provided integrally with the diode body;

a positioning unit for positioning the light-emitting diode with respect to the light guide plate; and

an electrical circuit provided in the support to light the light-emitting diode,

wherein the wire lead electrically connects the diode body to the electrical circuit, and the positioning unit includes an insertion hole which is provided in the support and through which the wire lead extends, and a side face of the diode body.

4. The surface light source according to claim 2, wherein the support includes a circuit board on which the electrical circuit is provided, and a holder disposed on the circuit board to hold the light guide plate, and the diode body is electrically connected to the electrical circuit via the wire lead that extends through insertion holes provided in the holder and the circuit board.